Device for repairing fractured jaws.



4PATENTED FEB. 1l, 1908.

P. sTUKfY. DEVICE PoR REPAIRING .PRAGTURED JAWS.

APPLICATION FILED 1113,29. 1907.

attomuj g 7N: NORM: Fsrsks ca.,y wAsmNamN. D. c.

PETER STUKEY, OF AUBURN, INDIANA.

DEVICE FOR REPAIRING- FRACTURED JAWS.

Speccaton 4of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application filed March 29 1907. Serial No. 365.408-

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER STUKEY, D. D. S., a citizen of the United States, residin at Auburn, in ithe county of Dekalb and tate of Indiana, have invented a new and useful article known as a Device for Repairing Broken and Fractured Jaws, of which the following is a specification,

This invention relates to devices to be used in repairing broken or fractured jaws, and has for its obj ect to provide a simple and efficient means for holding a jaw bone which has been properly set after being fractured, in its set condition, while at the same time permitting the normal movement of the jaws in eating 0r speaking.

Heretofore it has been necessary in cases i where a broken jaw was4 treated, to bind the jaws together, so as to preserve the set condition. Accordingly, the lpatient would be unable to speak or to masticate, and in order` to feed him it has been necessary to remove one of the front teeth and inject liquid food. By the use of my device as aforesaid the patient may move the jaws in a vertical way as much as desired, enabling him to eat and speak with impunity, while at the same time preserving the broken jaw or jaws in their set condition and preventing a' movement of the fractured parts with relation to each other.

In the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and in which l have shown a merely referred form of embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 is a collective view of the various parts of my device, as 4applied to a lower j aw Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the rubber plate which must be made for each case and Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 and 2 indicate a pair of splints or supports for the inferior maxillary bone having a pro er inside contour, and adapted when assem led as shown in Fig. 1 to closely surround the lower jaw. These members may be made of any preferred material, as for instance, aluminium, and they are provided at the forward ends, which inclose the chin, with means for adjustably connecting them together, as for instance, a telescoping connection comprising a box-lug 3 rigidly attached to the splint 1 and slidable in a sleeve 41 secured to the splint 2. A slot 5 extends entirely through the lug 3', through which is adapted to pass a securing bolt 6 mounted in alined apertures in the sleeve 4 and provided with a nut'7. Each of the splints 1 and 2 is provided at its sides with a securing rail, for a purpose hereinafter referred to. It will be evident that by a proper manipulation of the connection between the splints they may be made to fit lower jaws of various sizes within limits.

l As a splint for the inside of the lower jaw, and adapted to coperate with the splints 1 and 2 I provide a plate 9, which must be made separately for each individual case, and is preferably formed of rubber placed against the lower teeth while in a plastic condition and allowed to harden in position. The said plate is provided at each side with a laterally extending portion 10 provided with a longitudinally extending squared aperture 11, whose orifice is toward the front of the plate, so that when in use, as shown in Fig. 1, the opening of said a erture will be at or near theA front teeth. emovably secured in said apertures 11 are a pair of substantially U- shaped members 12, having a short arm 14 adapted to extend into the apertures 11 and shaped conformably therewith, and a long arm 15 adapted to extend along the side of the plate 9. i

In use the plate being in position as before described, and the members 12 inserted in the respective apertures 11 the long arms 15 will extend outside the cheek of the atient. The splints 1 and 2 being now properi y iitted and positioned on the lower jaw, the long arms 15 respectively are securely tied to the securing rails 8 on each side as by means of a suitable wire or the like and the lower jaw is thus rigidly held in its set condition.

In cases of fracture to the upper jaw, the plate 9 is molded to the upper teeth, and the arms 15 of the U-shaped members are connected by means of fastenings extending from one to the other over the top of the head. In such cases it is preferable to rigidly secure the U-shaped members within the apertures 11 as by cementing them therein, and this practice may also be folsecuring rail, and a plate fitting against the 10 lowed in connection With the use of the plate teeth of said jaw, having attaching members on the lower jaw. secured thereto, ada ted to be connected What I claim is With said securing ra' s7 substantially as and In a device of the character described, for the purpose set forth.

in combination, a tWo-part splint member PETER STUKEY.

'for the outside surface of a jaw-bone7 com- Witnesses:

prising two members adjustably secured to- CLARA WUERTHNER STUKEY,

gether at one end, and each provided With a W. C. CRAMAR. 

